


september 8th, 1989

by prettyoddnjh



Series: 1980’s au!larry [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 13:02:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13435269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettyoddnjh/pseuds/prettyoddnjh
Summary: During their gap year, Harry and Louis visit New York City and go to a gay club for the first time.





	september 8th, 1989

September 8th, 1989

 

It’s a humid, yet relatively lovely day in New York City. Harry and Louis have been traipsing through the city for three days, visiting the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, and the original site of the Stonewall Inn. Tonight, after making a quick stop in Times Square at night to see it all lit up, they make their way to Greenwich Village.

 

“Are you sure these ID’s look real?” Harry asks.

 

“Yes, silly. We’re 19 already. We’re not that far away from 21 in the first place. Besides, no one in this entire city knows us. They don’t know how old we are.”

 

Harry sighs. Louis is right, but he can’t help feeling nervous.

 

“So…” Harry says, “do you know anything about this place? Or about gay clubs at all?”

 

“I heard this one is good. I think we just dance and make friends.”

 

“That’s it?”

 

Louis shrugs. “I guess.”

 

They move up to the front of the line. Trying to look as confident as possible and holding his breath, Harry hands the bouncer his fake ID. The breath escapes him when the bouncer accepts it and lets him in.

 

The club is, well… more of a  _bar_  than anything. People sit at tables and countertops and booths, chatting amiably.

 

“I thought you said there would be dancing,” Harry says to Louis. “I don’t see any flashing lights or hear any—“ He stops short. The faint sound of a bassline thrums through the building. Harry beckons for Louis to follow him, and they find a door at the end of the room.

 

The door, of course, leads to the club.

 

Lights flash in all colors and reflect off a disco ball, one wall is covered in a glittery rainbow curtain, and a Diana Ross song plays at a deafening volume through large speakers. A DJ’s booth sits at the front of the room, and it’s filled with lively gay people grinding and dancing and kissing on the dance floor. Another bar sits on the other side of the room.

 

“Should I get us some drinks?” Harry shouts over the music.

 

“Sure! I’ll follow you!”

 

By the bar, the music is slightly less headache-inducing. Harry doesn’t have to shout to speak when he orders.

 

“And who are you here with?” the bartender - a flamboyant man in his thirties with a hint of a Brooklyn accent - asks Harry.

 

“My boyfriend,” he replies happily, “Louis.”

 

Louis is behind him, looking around, but he turns to face the bartender when he hears his name. He leans against the counter and waves.

 

“You two aren’t from around here, huh?”

 

Harry chuckles. “You have no idea how often we get asked that. But, yes, we’re from out of town.”

 

The bartender smiles and hands them their drinks. They sit together and talk, listening to the music as it moves between disco and synth-pop hits.

 

“Can I buy you a drink?” a man who’s probably in college asks Harry.

 

Harry blushes and gestures to Louis. “I’m here with someone, actually, but if you’d still like to pay for my drink, I wouldn’t say no.”

 

The guy smiles sheepishly. “Sorry - my mistake.” He leans over to speak to Louis. “You’re a lucky guy.”

 

Louis shrugs and looks at Harry. “I know.”

 

After a few drinks (one of which was paid for by the man who asked Harry to dance) have been downed by the two of them, Harry asks Louis if he’d like to go dance.

 

“Of course! C’mon, babe,” Louis responds, grabbing Harry’s hand and dragging him through the throng of people. When they’ve found a good spot, Louis throws his arms around Harry’s neck, resting them on his shoulders. Harry holds tight to Louis’ waist as they sway back and forth, bodies pressed close together.

 

“This is like prom, but with better music and way less chances of us getting mauled for dancing this close together,” Louis jokes loudly over the music.

 

Harry laughs. “It is!”

 

The song fades into a new one, and they continue dancing. This is a remix of a song Harry knows; Louis has played it for him before.

 

“It’s ‘Bizarre Love Triangle,’” Louis says. Harry chuckles to himself - Louis always knows exactly what he’s thinking. “This is definitely a club remix, though.”

 

Harry looks at Louis under the flashing lights and decides he’s going to kiss him now. It’s a passionate kiss that Harry would feel sheepish partaking in in public - PDA isn’t really his thing - but at this club, he feels like no one cares. There are definitely guys here doing dirtier things than  _snogging_ ; that’s for sure.  


 

Slowly, Harry’s hands slide down to Louis’ bum. Louis separates his lips from Harry’s and laughs to himself, breathless.

 

“You’re so cheeky today,” he comments. “I’ve never pegged you as the kind to grab my ass in public or be cheeky to strangers at bars.”

 

“I guess I just feel, like… in my element? I feel more confident here. That could just be the alcohol talking, though.”

 

“No, I think it’s true! It makes sense. Even when we went to Gay Pride, we were still in public with protestors and everything. Here, you have no reason to be scared of anyone. You can be yourself more.”

 

Harry nods.

 

Song after song, they grind up against one another, taking breaks at the bar to talk to other people. Harry gets hit on by at least three other boys, though he doesn’t understand why everyone is into him. Louis jokes about wanting to keep Harry away from the bar, fearing someone will steal him away.

 

Hours and hours pass before Harry decides it’s a bad idea for them to stay any longer. He’s becoming more and more breathless, and he forgot to bring his inhaler. The world is becoming a bit too blurry for his liking, as well, since the drinks have gotten to his head.

 

They step out into the cool night air, which feels good against their warm, sweat-soaked skin.  


 

“Did you have fun?” Louis asks while they walk to the nearest subway station.

 

Harry nods eagerly. “I’m surprised we didn’t try to sneak into a gay club earlier on. We should go to another one sometime.”

 

Louis agrees.

 

They walk down into the subway station to head back to their hotel.


End file.
